Surprising facts about konjac

A perfectly diabolical plant:
In this part of the world, konjac is also known as the devil's tongue and belongs to the genus of the titan arum. In Austria, the konjac plant is also called the tree of tears. The tuber is referred to as the konjac root, which lends its name to countless products. The devil's tongue mainly grows in East Asia, the region extending from Japan and China to Indonesia, where it prefers warm locations in the tropics and subtropics.

Used in medical and food products:
In Asia, the konjac root has long been a staple of food and remedies. While many people in Europe and Germany have only heard of konjac noodles and konjac rice, Asian markets sell a wide range of snacks made of konjac, such as jelly sweets. Konjac is also found in traditional Chinese medicine. The health benefits of the konjac tuber were discovered more than 2,000 years ago. These benefits may be primarily attributed to the main ingredient of the konjac root, the water-soluble fiber, konjac glucomannan.

Konjac has also made a name for itself in the cosmetics industry. Apart from being ground into konjac flour, the tuber is also used to make natural sponges that are ideal for cleansing the skin.

The small tuber that packs a punch!
In most cases, foods made of the konjac root are 100% plant-based and thus vegan. Konjac flour obtained from the konjac root is not just low in calories and carbohydrates, as well as being gluten-free, it is extremely high in fiber. This leads to a feeling of fullness, even after eating just a small quantity. Thanks to its high water binding capacity, konjac flour can bind 50 times its volume of water. Thus, as a tasteless binding agent, konjac flour is an excellent substitute for guar gum or locust bean gum, making it perfect for low-carb or gluten-free diets.

Konjac products such as Shileo Roooaaar Pasta offer exceptional health benefits with hardly any calories and plenty of fiber. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has officially approved two health claims for the fiber konjac glucomannan.

Taking certain recommendations for consumption and other precautions into account, konjac glucomannan can help maintain normal levels of blood cholesterol and achieve weight loss as part of a low-calorie diet. Click here for further information

To sum up, then, konjac - the basis of our products - truly is a superfood.

Happy reading! Your Shileo team